For me, the cringe-inducing lines are too much to overcome. It's a weird double standard, in all honesty, as one of my favorite records of the decade remains A Grand Don't Come For Free, by The Streets. I don't know what it is, but a lot of Wolf's stuff just makes me physically uncomfortable.

I love 2-3 songs on each record, but that's it. You can't love 'em all, I guess.

It was on there for free just a year ago, so I won't judge in this instance.

That's kinda what makes the chess line for me. It's so ridiculous in and of itself that the serious delivery cracks me up.

One of my most memorable experiences from seeing them live last year was hearing them soundcheck 'Fatalist Palmistry' from outside the venue. The doors were open, and I could hear it perfectly from where I was. They didn't even play it during the show, but it sounded so fantastic during the soundcheck that I didn't even care. None of that had anything to do with what we were talking about, but I'm just glad there's finally someone on here that I can discuss Alopecia with as much as I'd wanted to for the last year and a half.

Holy shit, I just got a free downloading pass from Scumbo. Somebody please record this for future generations to remember.

Yeah, it's true. Each time I hear it, it makes me kind of angry instead of making me laugh at its irony. No idea why, considering a good chunk of his lyrics are tongue-in-cheek.

Awesome. "Fatalist Palmistry" is another favorite of mine. I love the opening lines: I sleep on my back cause it's good for the spine and coffin rehearsal (love, love, love that one bit). I know a psychic who reads her own palms and her findings are personal. She keeps her fists shut tight and she sleeps on her side, well maybe she knows something I don't know." Plus, there's yet another recurring image in there with the catcher's mitts that show up again in "By Torpedo or Crohn's" (which, interestingly, is tending to be where a lot of this stuff reappears).

Oh, no worries, a good semi-related tangent is always fun. Plus, I know that feeling of finally being able to talk about an album you love with another person. Also, I CAN'T WAIT to see these guys live now. Only a few months away...

Quote:

Originally Posted by If you shout...

"The Fall of Mr. Fifths" is still the only straight-up great song on that record, although I'll pretty gladly give you "A Sky For Shoeing Horses Under," if I have to make any further concessions.

I love the opening lines: I sleep on my back cause it's good for the spine and coffin rehearsal

That was my sig for a few months last year.

While I love the entire song, I looooove this section of These Few Presidents:

I thought I had a pebble in my sock
I pulled it off
And shook out a wasp
It stumbled out lost,
And without a pause
Unstung as I was,
Still I stomped it

By the way Shouter, the "Arbitrarily yours" line was an old Bang and Clatter thing from years back where people would sign that under any negative or differing from the standard opinion type post. I threw it in there for you as I thought it fit well at the time, and then realized there's probably only one other poster on here who'd even recognize it still. Just wanted to explain I wasn't being a douche, just throwing in outdated forum inside jokes...which probably is kinda douchey in and of itself.

OK, sorry I agree most band names are kind of dumb, but I got the band/album names messed up here, Why? I guess isn't that bad, but the album title is horrible, anyone else here aware of what alopecia is? (Other than a really ugly word). I may be judging that too soon, perhaps it has a lot to do with a recurring lyric theme?

OK, sorry I agree most band names are kind of dumb, but I got the band/album names messed up here, Why? I guess isn't that bad, but the album title is horrible, anyone else here aware of what alopecia is? (Other than a really ugly word). I may be judging that too soon, perhaps it has a lot to do with a recurring lyric theme?

It's a disease where you lose your hair from all over your body, essentially. And, yeah, he does talk about losing hair in at least one song on the album, "By Torpedo or Crohn's."

If we really want to dig deep into it, both alopecia and Crohn's disease (the chronic disorder he's describing in "By Torpedo or Crohn's," which I happen to have, actually) are autoimmune disorders and chronic diseases, as well as often causing social anxiety and stress due to their symptoms. Whether or not Wolf meant to make that connection is up in the air, but it's one that could be made. One more brief note: speaking from my perspective, having Crohn's has definitely made me ponder mortality a whole lot more too, which is another main theme of the album.

While I love the entire song, I looooove this section of These Few Presidents:

I thought I had a pebble in my sock
I pulled it off
And shook out a wasp
It stumbled out lost,
And without a pause
Unstung as I was,
Still I stomped it

Nice! That reminds me, I haven't changed my quote in my sig in quite awhile. Not that that's related to Why? so much, but just thinking aloud...

I listened to the first half of Alopecia again while walking around tonight, and "These Few Presidents" is definitely up there in my favorites too. That part you mentioned is great. I also like the bit right after it, when Wolf goes, "Wah-wah-wah." The delivery makes me laugh inside every time I hear it.

Fun Why? related fact: One of Yoni Wolf's side projects, Hymie's Basement, was conceived of in Minneapolis in a record shop called Hymie's Vintage Records. I've actually been in the basement of the place. Good times.

It's a disease where you lose your hair from all over your body, essentially. And, yeah, he does talk about losing hair in at least one song on the album, "By Torpedo or Crohn's."

If we really want to dig deep into it, both alopecia and Crohn's disease (the chronic disorder he's describing in "By Torpedo or Crohn's," which I happen to have, actually) are autoimmune disorders and chronic diseases, as well as often causing social anxiety and stress due to their symptoms. Whether or not Wolf meant to make that connection is up in the air, but it's one that could be made. One more brief note: speaking from my perspective, having Crohn's has definitely made me ponder mortality a whole lot more too, which is another main theme of the album.

Thanks for your response, good to know its actually a part of the album, with the crazy colors on the cover I thought maybe it was an indie hipster band's attempt at random-humor.